May 19, 2022

::tap, tap, tap:: Still waiting for Kit 2. I doubt I would do a kit club again - there is far too long a wait in between shipments, and you don’t even have access to the full pattern, so you can’t even try to get a little ahead with any remaining yarn from the kit before. I also looked to see if there was a way to speed up my shipments, or to just purchase the remaining kits outright - No, you can’t.

This may be a great thing for those that have extremely limited time to crochet, or those that are just starting out, or trying their first big project… But for experienced crocheter’s that have a lot of time to crochet - it can be frustrating. Ahh well, you live and you learn.

June 6, 2022

Received 2nd kit today and have worked one side with the triangle extension. I found the directions slightly confusing, but the video offered on site cleared up my initial confusion. I have to say, at this point, that I am failing to understand how a border is going to go evenly around this piece after the other sides are completed. Looks like I will be crocheting into what I call ‘raw’ sides… Ick. Also I have noted that my piece doesn’t look as neat as the one on the video, but does look a tiny bit better than the picture provided with the kit. Not sure how I feel about that yet…

ETA: Did other 3 sides through R7. (Fans start R8)

June 7, 2022

I completed the sides and begun the first round of the border. It wasn’t as difficult as I’d thought, but certainly piques my OCDness, lol. I would have rathered it be done in the indigo - it wouldn’t show up the raw edge as much, imho. Anyway, next was supposed to be the crab stitch. OMG. I simply cannot do this! I’ve tried and tried to no avail. So I opted for SC in the front loop - then tried to do the star stitch round. Thankfully, I can do that stitch with no trouble. BUT - I hate the way the SC in the front loop looks! I’m putting it down for now, may frog that back and try the crab stitch again, or try a different solution altogether.

June 8, 2022

Yay! I frogged back to the border and tried my hand at the crab stitch again. After a few tries, and some finger gymnastics - I’m getting it done slowly but surely!

ETA: Well, I couldn’t make heads or tails of how to join/change color as instructed. Yes, I know how to change colors… but with this twisted backwards sc?? I finally gave it up and joined as best I could with the cream. it looks weird. But I’m going to do my best to ignore it and continue on.

June 9 2022

Star stitch rounds complete and ready for the next kit. Something was up with my ending counts, I’ll have to be careful on the next round - I’ve got 9 in each corner, 2 sides with 50, 1 with 48 and one with 52. I can probably work it out; or can try a redo of the very last round. I have the right total stitches, they just need evened up.

June 26, 2022

A charge for the next kit went through so I expect Kit 3 will be shipping soon. I think I will try to redo the last round to even it up properly - so I need to take a look at this one in the next day or two.

June 27, 2022

Since I just put my other WIP that’s similar to this one in a Time Out for aggravating me to no end- I have a vested interest in this one getting done correctly with NO time lapses.

So, I took a look at this one this morning, and frogged the last round. I redid the round being extremely careful about my counts. Whew - it worked out. With that taken care of, I discovered that Kit 3 pattern was available on the website.

I do have yarn left over in these colors so I was able to dive right in. First round done, & I am currently working on another crab stitch round -

LOL, I was all thumbs and confusion for several minutes until I worked out how to do the stitch again. It’s backwards stitching essentially, and even though I got through the last round of this, it doesn’t come naturally to me at all and I struggle initially.

June 28, 2022

Well, I got a great start to this next part. After the crab stitch round we are doing a checkerboard pattern in the middle of each of the sides. I was able to get 3 of the sides done using remaining yarn from the previous kits, before running out of the indigo. Hopefully the kit will get here by next week. There will be some small squares to do in addition to the the last side’s checkerboard.

July 7, 2022

3rd kit arrived the other day - I finished up the checkerboard on the remaining side and have started in on the 12 small squares.
This is just an observation, not a criticism… but once again I am struck by two things. First, that there were parts of the pattern that aren’t written very clearly - yes, if experienced you can surmise what to do or yes, you can go look at the video and see clearly how to do that part of the instruction… However, most patterns that I’ve purchased from designers have been thoroughly tested, read clearly and are easily understood. (most providing clear close up pictures of any tricky bits). Secondly, the small square pattern is ‘oddly’ done. As I’ve seen in other parts of this… from afar and in photos, this afghan is really gorgeous. But - up close, and while crocheting--- there are parts that just don’t have that ‘polished’ look to them, they are somewhat ‘unkempt’ in appearance, imo.

In the end, I am sure this afghan will be warm, snuggly, and absolutely lovely. Photos of it will get drooled over. But up close and personal? If you are an experienced crocheter, and slightly OCD with it like me, you’ll understand what I’m saying.

July 15, 2022

12 squares made into 4 corner pieces and then attached. I’ve still got lots of ends to weave, but otherwise this month’s section is complete.
It measures 26 1/2 inches unblocked. I may try to block this and steam out the middle section. It takes quite a bit of smoothing out to lay flat. I do think that the added weight of the remaining sections will help that somewhat, but I’d feel better if it laid flat on its own.

July 23, 2022

I downloaded Part 4 of the pattern from the website to see if I could get an early start.
I’m on the 3rd round of the ‘border’ for this growing square.
There is also a block pattern to do X4. But, the kit won’t arrive for about 2 weeks.

ETA: Border complete on the large piece. Starting in on one of the four squares needed. Pattern is confusing, can’t log in to website to view the video and tried repeatedly!

July 24, 2022

So frustrated right now. Hadn’t been able to log into the website to look at the video for this Kit last night or today. I couldn’t really make head or tails out of the written instructions (R1-5 on sm. sq.) once again. It just is NOT written in standard fashion like the majority of the professional designer’s patterns. Anyway, since I couldn’t view the video, I took a look at the full picture of the square. I have done many mosaic, tapestry and interlock patterns so I was able to get the first 5 rounds done by simply looking at the picture. However, I was stuck again due to the way they describe for you to join AND change colors. It just looks HORRID that way. If any are reading this, please know that I am very picky about my crochet work, and am slightly OCD with it. But I have learned to accept some things anyway, however, THIS TIME isn’t one of them. (starting w/ R6)
Even though ends are a pain, and most of us don’t want to create MORE… I suggest doing a needle join and then start the next round with the new color if yours looks sloppy and it bothers you.

Also to note: during the alternating color rounds - when going up to the next round, you CAN carry the color along (or just leave a tail and snip it, to weave in later) without leaving that unsightly long thread going across the back of your work when the pattern calls for it again. That thread would be a constant snag worry and if it ever broke… yikes!

ETA: Needle joins definitely improved those rounds but I had to stop 3/4 of the way on R10 because I ran out of the Mediterranean colorway. Will have to wait until the kit arrives before doing anything else.

August 2, 2022

Yay! Kit 4 yarn arrived today. I am just finishing up the square I started with some of the leftover yarn. Pic shortly. I soooo wish I had access to more than just the 1 small square this week. I was so ahead on this months kit that I only have 3 more of these squares to do, and it will be a LOOOONG stretch before I am able to access next months pattern.

ETA: 2 of 4 squares complete.

August 20, 2022

I did the 3rd square, from memory, because I didn’t have access camping, lol. It’s pretty good, except for failing to put one round in the back loop but instead used the back bar. It actually looks good though. So, I intend to make the same ‘mistake’ on the 4th square so that I will have 2 of each.

August 21, 2022

Back home and was able to download the pattern for Kit 5; and I’ve got lots of yarn left so hopefully I can get started on the next 2 squares.

Note: I find it a lot easier to start rounds in the corner, so I’ve been skipping to that part of each round in the pattern, and going from there. Way less confusing for me, and easier to hide ‘joins’, etc., imo.

August 30, 2022

Kit 5 arrived today in the mail. I just put up pics of the 2 squares that will get worked this month. 3 of each to be exact.

September 19, 2022

I’ve been working on other WIPs, and figured it was time to get back to this one for awhile. Currently have 2 of one square, and 1 of the other squares completed so far.

September 26, 2022

All squares completed last week (3 of each of 2 squares). Downloaded Part 6 from the website. A new color will be added to this kit, Honey. I’m surprised. It will be used to start one of the square patterns for this month. I was able to make a start on the second square of Kit 6 with yarn I have remaining, and expect the kit to arrive on Thursday.

September 27, 2022

Finished the new square, it’s my favorite so far. Really cute!

September 29, 2022

The new color came in with the kit so I tried out the other square for this month. The honey is only used for the small bit in the center, which is a bit odd. Perhaps it’s also used in future kits.
At any rate, I’ve got a whole month to do 2 more squares of each pattern. Luckily I’ve other projects on the go.

October 20, 2022

Since the last update, I’ve finished 2 more of this kits squares. Most of my time has been spent finishing up a WIP I was working on in between these kits.
Once that one was complete I took a look and found the next kit pattern released on the website. Yet another new color for the kits new squares is coming, surprise, surprise. It’ll also be time to begin joining the squares into a frame. So, I am working on one of my squares, while also beginning the join process. I tend to be a bit lazy with weaving in ends, so some of the squares I’m joining will first need weaving.
Sounds confusing, but it really isn’t. It’s just a way to break everything up and have several different things to choose from to do.

October 25, 2022

Did the last 2 squares needed for Kit 6. I have joined some of the squares into the corner of the frame. Wove in the ends for several other squares. (7 more w/ ends to go)
Today I got Kit 7 delivered. And, I’m really not a fan of the new color being added, nor do I like the color combinations used in either of the new squares. I looked over the picture of the completed afghan and it’s very clear that some of the ‘extra’ new colors won’t be used again. With that in mind, I have decided to forgo quartz pink altogether - and I will choose different colors from the previous kits to use in the two new squares.

October 26, 2022

One of the new squares finished up last night. I used the peach sand in place of the quartz pink. I think it improved the square. The pink is a new color, and really doesn’t seem to go with the rest of the colors, imo. I still had a small ball and a full skein of the peach sand, so it seemed a good choice.
I will likely use it in place of the pink for the last square as well. BUT - I’m not a fan of the center of this one which uses the aquamarine/mediterranean together. They are almost too ‘matchy-matchy’ in the picture and could use some contrast instead. But I’m not sure which other colors to use there… may try it to see if the pic just didn’t do it justice. (Or maybe just swap them?)
~one of the last squares done, colors looked fine. Just used the peach sand in place of the pink.

Will continue to join squares for the frame, weaving ends as I go.

November 15, 2022

The pattern for Kit 8 is up on the website. So I just started the border rounds. I thought I had taken a pic of the piece after it was all joined up… but apparently not. So I’ll take one after I get this border going…

November 19, 2022

All joined, and first part of the border completed. Waiting on my next kit!

December 24, 2022

Yarn Kit arrived awhile back, but I did a pattern test so am just now getting to work on this one.
~Currently on Rnd 3 of this section.

December 26, 2022

Week 9 Border section complete. This next kit should finish it up, although I’ll pass on the big corner tassels… not my thing. :) The edge is a little curled, hopefully the final rounds will flatten it out.

~I have quite a lot of yarn left, probably because I used an H hook instead of an I hook. I may make up some of the medium squares with the remaining yarn, it’d make a nice throw.

January 7, 2023

The charge for Kit 10 went through so I was able to download the pattern. Have plenty of yarn to get an early start on this before the kit arrives.

January 22, 2023

I didn’t get the kit until a couple days ago. Currently on 3rd round of what I think is the final border. I will not be making the big tassles, I’m not a fan of fringe or tassles… they look horrible after a wash n’ dry.

May 11, 2023

Well this one hung around for awhile just waiting for me to finish the border rounds and weave in ends. Procrastination at its finest! :)

It’s a nice heavy, textured blanket. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Club format, or the way the pattern instructions were written - however, the video’s were very helpful when I needed them from time to time. I’m glad I gave it go, and ended up with a lovely result.